Next session: July 9th to July 31st

All three parts will be offered. Candidates may enrol in one part.

Cost: $650 (includes a copy of ethical guidelines and a one year OSCA Subscription)

Taught by a current school Guidance Counsellor, through an interactive, online classroom environment.

Candidates must hold a valid OCT and be in good standing to register.

Register here!

The OSCA Board of Directors wishes to inform the OSCA community of the passing of Norman McCracken.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Norman's wife Trish and her family during this difficult time.
The OSCA Board has made a donation to The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Trust Fund in memory of Norman.

 

OSCA is going virtual for 2021! We’re planning for a Virtual Conference in Fall 2021 and want to hear from you!

PLEASE COMPLETE THE SURVEY BY FEBRUARY 26, 2021 TO BE INCLUDED IN THE CHANCE TO WIN A $50.00 GIFT CARD OF YOUR CHOICE!!

OSCA Fall Virtual Conference Survey

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OSCA/ACOSO passe au virtuel pour 2021! Nous prévoyons une conférence virtuelle à l’automne 2021 et nous souhaitons entendre votre avis !

VEUILLEZ REMPLIR LE SONDAGE AVANT LE 26 FÉVRIER 2021 POUR AVOIR LA CHANCE DE GAGNER UNE CARTE-CADEAU DE 50,00 $ DE VOTRE CHOIX !!

Sondage de la Conférence Virtuelle d'automne de l'ACOSO

Thursday, February 18, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Join us for a live and intimate engagement opportunity: Refreshments with Recruitment, spotlighting a panel of Recruitment staff and students and Q&A with Admissions Director, Mike Emery.

The SciXchange at Ryerson is hosting a Let's Talk Health Symposia, a series of virtual events that highlight the intersection of health research with various subjects in science. Each event is open to students in grades 10-12. Participants will get to meet researchers, ask questions and gain experience in virtual labs. Content is independent so students are welcome to sign up for one or multiple events.

Dates:
Let's Talk Health: Biology - Saturday, Feb. 20 | 1:00 - 3:00 pm EST
Let's Talk Health: Sports - Saturday Mar. 6 | 1:00 - 3:00 pm EST

Canadian Association for Play Therapy
Foundation Play Therapy Training

Live On-line Instructor Lead
Individual Full Days of Training 2021

 May 3 ? 14, 2021 (Monday to Friday)

• Introduction to Play Therapy
• Play Therapy History, Models and Process ? 2 days
• Ethical Practice in a Play Therapy Setting
• Assessment & Treatment Planning in a Play Therapy Context
• Attachment Theory and Therapy in a Play Therapy Setting
• Non-Directive Play Therapy and Filial Therapy ? 2 days
• Theraplay as a Play Therapy Model
• Family Play Therapy

June 14 ? 25, 2021 (Monday to Friday)

• Sandtray Therapy ? 2 days
• Brain Research and Child Development in a Play Therapy Setting
• Understanding Traumatized Children and Applying Play Therapy Tools in the Treatment of Trauma in Children ? 2 days
• Treating Disruptive Behaviour Problems in a Play Therapy Setting ? 2 days
• Creating an Inclusive and Culturally Competent Play Therapy Practice
• Storytelling in a Play Therapy Session
• Understanding and Treating Anxious Children

August 9 ? 20, 2021 (Monday to Friday)

• Play Therapy with Abused Children ? 2 days
• Day 1 ? Physical and Emotional Abuse
• Day 2 ? Sexual Abuse
• Puppetry in a Play Therapy Setting
• Play Therapy with Adults
• Group Therapy
• Play Therapy for Children and Families Coping with Loss ? 2 days
• Case Application
• Art Therapy in a Play Therapy Setting
• Vicarious Trauma and Self Care in a Play Therapy Environment

For Details on Dates, Registration, Training Outlines and Learning Outcomes go to: https://cacpt.com/foundation-play-therapy-training/

Get insight on mental health and semi-isolated practices with a focus on our Indigenous population through a rural Nurse Practitioner Led Clinic (NPLC) model.

This webinar will showcase how the role of the nurse practitioner and the NPLC model can promote better health outcomes for clients in a semi-rural community. Join us as Connie Foster shares her journey to becoming an Indigenous Nurse Practitioner.

Date: March 26, 20201 | 12 - 1 p.m. (ET)

As some of us re-enter the classroom and our schools, these conversation starters can be used to support a welcoming and caring learning environment that supports learning, wellness, and equitable outcomes for all students.

Do you know a youth with chronic illness or who has recently experienced the death of someone close to them?

We would like to introduce you to UPOPOLIS, a free, online social support network. Our website is available to youth age 10 – 18 years who:
Have recently lost a loved one close to them
Have a chronic medical condition, critical illness, or hospital experience;
Their siblings
On UPOPOLIS, youth have the opportunity to meet others who are sharing the same experiences, exchange coping strategies, and learn about diagnoses and medical conditions from child life specialists so they have a better understanding of the medical journey. Most importantly, UPOPOLIS gives youth the chance to make friends, which helps relieve feelings of isolation and loneliness often associated with these stressful life events.

The best part, it is so easy to refer youth to UPOPOLIS. Visit www.upopolis.com and click on Healthcare Professionals – Refer a youth. Under Resources there are flyers and posters available to hand out to youth, their parents, and to post in your public spaces.

If you have questions or would like help signing up youth you know, e-mail support@upopolis.com. Thank you for helping to support the youth in our lives!

We all have the potential to become leaders, but to do so we must embrace our capabilities and the power that each moment presents. The world needs our help, and each one of us can make a positive impact. When we take a step toward being a better leader, we are taking a step toward creating a better version of ourselves. To be a leader is to recognize that when we help others, we also help ourselves to grow. Leadership teaches us that we can enhance the potential of the world.

There is a popular quote that says, "Today’s lessons lead to tomorrow’s blessings." To be an effective leader we must acquire certain skillsets to increase our ability to perform well consistently. In recognition of this, flightunit has created a powerful 7-Day Leadership Challenge to empower lives and to change the world through positive words and actions. This challenge is highly inclusive; all participants will develop a new leadership competency each day of the challenge.

VIRTUAL ZOOM Presentation by Julie-Anne Richards, M.A., R.C.C., Registered Clinical Counsellor and Psychoeducational Consultant, on Childhood Stress and Anxiety: Empowering Strategies and Effective Support. The Presentation is tailored for parents, caregivers and educators supporting children ages 5-12

Living through times of crisis, a generation is defined, and legacies are constructed.

Indigenous communities in Canada have survived in the face of numerous historical crises.

Resilience, innovation, and adaptation have defined our Indigenous communities for generations. Yet, the curricular discourse in Canada continues to ignore the resilience of Indigenous communities; instead, perpetuating the idea that Indigenous knowledge is outdated and inferior to Western knowledge systems.

Teens today need help to manage anxiety, cultivate empathy and compassion and develop coping skills. Mindfulness can help them, and this introductory workshop will help you teach mindfulness to teens. Whether you’re a teacher, education support worker, or other youth service practitioner, you’ll get the information and resources you need to design a new mindfulness curriculum or implement an existing one. You’ll explore the core elements of mindfulness training, practical applications, curriculum connections, neuroscience research, customized lesson plans and adaptations for different populations.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
- Assess the resources needed to implement a mindfulness program.
- Use age-appropriate activities, practices and instructional materials.
- Select activities and practices that will support mindful core competencies:
- Show students how they can benefit from mindfulness practice.
- Help teens enhance their optimism, motivation, creativity and impulse control skills through the use of mindfulness.

The Mindful Edge® is a specially-developed program to provide Stress Reduction and Life Strategies for Teens. It is based on the principles of the MBSR Workshop program created by Jon Kabat-Zinn. The Mindful Edge™ combines the practices of mindfulness with knowledge of brain science, positive psychology, movement and healthy living skills to create a program that benefits teens socially, emotionally, physically and academically.
Students actively participate in the process of unfolding a practical understanding of mindfulness and how it can benefit them in their lives.

I am at a point in this pandemic where I didn't think we would be. It is almost a year that we have been trying to make sense of this new world and to be honest none of it is still making sense! The thing that does make sense to me is that I am not willing to give up or throw the towel in just yet.

In the fall after I opted to join the growing team of teachers at my school venturing into the online world, I struggled to find my new balance and routine working from home. The demands were great but I challenged myself to learning one new online tip a day. Boy am I glad I made it to February and I feel like I've achieved a mountain of growth with my technical abilities. But spending so much time on screen started to have some negative effects on my wellbeing and health.
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Je suis à un moment de cette pandémie où je ne pensais pas que nous y serions. Cela fait presque un an que nous essayons de donner un sens à ce nouveau monde et pour être honnête, rien de tout cela n'a encore de sens! Ce qui a du sens pour moi, c'est que, pour l'instant, je ne suis pas prête à abandonner ou à jeter l'éponge.

En automne, après avoir choisi de rejoindre l'équipe grandissante d'enseignants de mon école pour m'aventurer dans le monde en ligne, j'ai eu du mal à trouver mon nouvel équilibre et ma routine de travail à domicile. Les demandes étaient grandes, mais je me suis mise au défi d'apprendre une nouvelle astuce du monde virtuel par jour. Je suis contente d'avoir atteint le mois de février et j'ai l'impression d'avoir réalisé une montagne de croissance avec mes capacités techniques. Mais passer tellement de temps à l'écran a commencé à avoir des effets négatifs sur mon bien-être et ma santé.

 

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

This next issue of OSCA Today will drop into your mailbox one year into this global pandemic,
which only appears to be getting worse before it gets better. We have all made sacrifices.
Many of us may be managing but many more are not. Educators across our province are
witnessing first-hand how many of our students are struggling. This pandemic continues to put
a strain on all of us especially our students and their families. We need help with advice and
resources. We need you!

Here is what we need:

First. Resources. We would like your suggestion for support agencies that our students can
reach out to. We especially need resources for our BIPOC: Black, Indigenous, People of Colour,
2SLGBTQQ students.

Second. Articles. If you have stories, ideas or advice to help us and our students endure this
pandemic, we would love to hear from you. We would love it if you would write an article for
OSCA Today.

Please reach out and submit your resources and articles ideas to Roderick Conte, OSCA VP of
Communications at rbconte@yahoo.com

 

The Ontario School Counsellors' Association has a long-standing tradition (over 40 years) of recognizing and awarding those who stand out in the field of Guidance and Career Education. OSCA recognizes individuals and/or organizations that have made a significant contribution to Guidance and Career Education in Ontario. We can say with confidence that our past award winners have helped thousands find their pathways to successful futures! OSCA's awards are an excellent way of recognizing your most dedicated peers.